ATA awards Vocational Technology Scholarship to Shelbyville student

  • Published
  • By Raquel March
  • AEDC/PA
ARNOLD AIR FORCE BASE, TENN. --  Aerospace Testing Alliance (ATA) continued a commitment to Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) support in 2014 by awarding a $1,000 Vocational Technology Scholarship to Tyler Cooper, a Shelbyville resident and son of ATA employee James Melton.

Cooper is enrolled at the Tennessee College of Applied Technology in Shelbyville and finished his first year with an A average. He expects to graduate in August, 2015.

The Aerospace Testing Alliance (ATA) Vocational Technology Scholarship Program was created to support post-secondary industrial education related to ATA's mission and operations.

"ATA employs a workforce of men and women who are experienced and skilled in me-chanical, electrical and industrial systems and crafts," said ATA General Manager Steve Pearson. "Their knowledge, skills, and abilities are critical to successful facility and test support. This program supports vocational training toward that level of expertise, whether students eventually work here or at other industrial complexes."

Students who applied for the scholarship must have majored in industrial full-time pro-grams such as Drafting and CAD; Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning and Refrigeration (HVAC); Industrial Electricity; Industrial Maintenance; Welding; Machine Tool Technology; Aviation Maintenance Technology; Mechanical Engineering Technology; Electrical Engi-neering Technology or Mechatronics.

To be eligible for the scholarship, the applicant must have been a dependent of an employee.

Cooper is the last recipient of the Vocational Technology Scholarship since the ATA support contract will conclude in 2015.